1
as in fight
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
passing the medical licensing exam was an uphill battle, but she succeeded
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
a battle between rival gangs left two people lying dead on the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in field
active fighting during the course of a war
soldiers who desperately wanted to forget the horrors that they had witnessed in battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the chess game was a real battle between two of the world's best players
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in to fight
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict
the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to oppose
to strive to reduce or eliminate
we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of battle
Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking a judge to jail Beto O'Rourke, claiming the former Democratic congressman violated a court order by fundraising to support the dozens of state Democratic lawmakers who have fled the state amid its redistricting battle.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Perez battled back with a tilt-a-whirl, but Iyo did a front flip out of the move and landed on her feet to a standing ovation.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for battle
Noun
The Defense Department has awarded BAE Systems’ shipyard in San Diego a $64.1 million contract for repairs, maintenance and upgrades on the USS O’Kane, a Burke-class destroyer that helped protect the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier battle group during a long deployment that ended in February.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking a judge to jail Beto O'Rourke, claiming the former Democratic congressman violated a court order by fundraising to support the dozens of state Democratic lawmakers who have fled the state amid its redistricting battle.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
Reynolds claimed to have met the first mate of a whale ship who battled the great one with a darting harpoon and hundreds of feet of 3/4-inch line flying from the rope tub.
—Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Perez battled back with a tilt-a-whirl, but Iyo did a front flip out of the move and landed on her feet to a standing ovation.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for battle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battle
Noun
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He was arrested three days after the fights and has been detained at the Hamilton County Justice Center.—
Kevin Grasha,
The Enquirer,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Redistricting in Texas, the center of the fight, is far from over.—
The NPR Network,
NPR,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The only skirmish Wednesday was sparked by some trash-talking between Chuba Hubbard and Jenkins — yes, same Jenkins — and peaked when Jenkins threw a football at Hubbard’s helmet.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Aug. 2025
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Attorney: Separate skirmishes, no 'racist mob' Fox told The Enquirer that national and local voices have mischaracterized what actually happened.—
Kevin Grasha,
The Enquirer,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Sanders returned to the field at the start of the second quarter and delivered a huge touchdown pass to Kaden Davis.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Aug. 2025
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Also worth reading 🏈 Sports: The Lions-Falcons preseason game was suspended in the fourth quarter after Lions defensive back Morice Norris was taken off the field in an ambulance following what appeared to be a neck injury.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The dwindling embers of the Boise State-University of Idaho rivalry will receive a spark later this year.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
12 Aug. 2025
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This fight is the catalyst for one of the longest-running rivalries in the story.—
Devin Robertson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Solitaire couldn’t compete with the dopamine hits of doom-scrolling social media or binge-watching Breaking Bad for the third time.—
Ariana Torrey,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
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However, the question remains whether Nissan can compete with the onslaught from Chinese EVs, particularly in the UK, which doesn’t currently tariff automotive imports at the level of the EU or USA.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The tech outage impacting United’s flights comes just two weeks after Alaska Airlines faced a similar issue, which forced it to ground its entire fleet for three hours.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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By the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, some areas of medicine, such as psychiatry, would face increasing criticism, including from social movements representing women and LGBT people.—
Time,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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One of the best ways to combat AIDS is to prevent new infections in the first place.—
Jennifer Lotito,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Why Tea Bags Work For Shoe Odor Tea bags have been known to be effective in combating mild odors in shoes due to their moisture-absorbing properties and the presence of tannins in tea, which have antibacterial effects.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Many activists in Oak Park have consistently opposed the cameras and called for their removal.—
Bob Skolnik,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
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President Donald Trump does not oppose the plan and has decided not to intervene in the conflict, according to U.S. and Israeli officials.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Battle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battle. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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